Uconn

Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier, second from right, reacts from the bench during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati Saturday, March 2, 2013, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

CINCINNATI — Shabazz Napier knew shortly after he rolled out of bed Saturday that his rather long streak of consecutive games played for UConn was going to end.

The junior guard determined that his sore right foot wasn't healthy enough for him to play in UConn's 61-56 loss to Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena. Prior to Saturday, Napier had been in all 102 games the Huskies have played during his time with the team.

"It was so difficult (watching)," Napier said. "I was thinking about getting dressed at halftime. I don't like missing games. I've always fought through a whole bunch of injuries. This one was just harder to do."

Napier sat on the bench acting as another coach, wearing the protective boot he has been wearing since Wednesday night when he aggravated the injury that forced him to have surgery in September. His absence even drew the attention of NBA legend Oscar Robertson, who said he had been looking forward to seeing Napier play in person.

R.J. Evans started in place of Napier, drawing the first start of his UConn career. Napier averages 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and leads the Huskies in assists. Evans began the game averaging fewer than 13 minutes per game and three points.

Evans didn't know he was starting until just before the game, though he said he suspected he would when he was with the first team in practice Friday.

Whether Napier is healthy enough to play in the final two games of the season is a question. The Huskies play Wednesday night at South Florida and finish the season Saturday against Providence at Gampel Pavilion. "Shabazz couldn't play," UConn coach Kevin Ollie sad. "We were preparing for it. The guys that played the game did real well."

UConn might be without Napier at South Florida, but it will almost definitely be without forward-guard Niels Giffey. Giffey sustained what was initially being called a fracture-dislocation of his right index finger. The injury occurred early in the second half.

Without Giffey, Ollie was forced to play Evans 33 minutes.

Stepping up: Freshman center Phil Nolan arrived from Milwaukee as a project. On Saturday, he showed that his progression might take place faster than expected.

Nolan tallied season bests in minutes (26), points (8) and rebounds (7) in a solid contribution. Ollie trusted Nolan so much that Tyler Olander went to the bench with 18:22 left to play in the game and stayed there. With 20 seconds to play, Nolan went to the free-throw line with an opportunity to tie the game at 57-57. But he made just one of the two free throws in a big spot.

"I felt confident I would knock the free throw down, but we're all human," Nolan said. "We all make mistakes. I just couldn't hang my head about it. I had to keep playing. I feel good about how I played but I would feel better if we would have got the win."

Confusion: With 2:59 to play and UConn facing a 55-50 deficit, Ryan Boatright drove the lane and was fouled. As the ball fell through the hoop, a Cincinnati player knocked it out of the hoop.

Officials initially called goaltending and a shooting foul, but later determined that the foul occurred before the shot. It was Cincinnati's 10th team foul, giving Boatright two free throws.

Ollie believed it should have been a shooting foul and a goaltend, and made his opinion known. Boatright was of the same mind. He wound up missing one of the two free throws, the lone miss among his 15 attempts.

"What was I going to do, run out of bounds?" Boatright said. "Obviously, I was going for the layup. It is what it is. The refs can't get every call (right), I guess."

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